Boat anchor



L. LINDLY BOAT ANCHOR Aug. 20, 1968 Filed Feb. 27, 1967 INVENTOR.

L E E Ll NDLY WJ'M ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,397,665 BOAT ANCHOR Lee Lindly, 1014 Stewart St., Winfield, Kans. 67156 Feb. 27, 1967, Ser. No. 618,819 5 Claims. (Cl. 114-208) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A boat anchor which will automatically disengage itself from entanglement upon the tension in the anchor line exceeding a predetermined amount by virtue of the anchor having anchor elements retractably pivoted to the body of the anchor, such anchor elements normally being prevented from retraction by a release means slidably mounted on the body. The anchor line is connected to the anchor body and includes a relatively weak portion adjacent the body, and a release line of sufiicient length as to normally be slack bridging the weak portion of the anchor line and connected to the slidable release means, whereby the latter can be pulled to release the anchor elements and recover the anchor upon the breaking of the weak portion of the anchor line.

S pecificati on The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in anchors for water surface vessels, and more particularly pertains to an anchor such that an anchor element of an anchor is caused to retract into an inoperative position and thereby become disengaged from any bottom irregularity such as rocks, debris, roots, and the like, upon an anchor line being subjected to tension in excess of a predetermined amount, whereby the anchor can be recovered.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an anchor which may be readily freed from and recovered from engagement with bottom objects with Which it may have become tenaciously engaged, and thereby avoid breakage of the anchor line either through inadvertence in attempting to forcibly disengage the anchor or as a consequence of deliberate severance of the anchor line in order to free the watercraft.

Another object of the invention is to provide an anchor of the character specified above such that a high degree of reliability can be placed on the fact that the anchor element will be returned or enabled to return to a retracted or inoperative position prior to the anchor line being subjected to such amount of tension as to sever all connection with the anchor apparatus.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an anchor such as specified in the preceding paragraphs which is simple and durable in construction, and yet which will be of sufficiently low cost so as to be well within the means of virtually all owners of pleasure watercraft.

A basic aspect of the invention involves an anchor comprising a body, an anchor element, means securing the anchor element to the body for movement between an operative extended position and an inoperative retracted position, said anchor element being adapted to engage a bottom and thereby resist movement of the body in one direction when in its operative position, release means mounted on the body for movement in said one direction between a normal position and a release position, said last means preventing movement of the anchor element when in its normal position, a first elongated tension element having a first end secured to said release means and a second end, and a second elongated tension element having a first end secured to the body, said tension elements having their second ends secured together, said first 3,397,665 Patented Aug. 20, 1968 tension element having a sufiicient length as to be substantially free of tension when the second tension element is tensioned in said one direction from its second end, and means for destroying the integrity of the second tension element upon the latter being subjected to a tension in excess of a predetermined amount, whereby an effort to move the position of securance of the second ends of the elements will result in movement of the release means to free .the anchor means to move to its retracted position if the effort produces a tension in the second tension element in excess of said predetermined amount of tension.

A somewhat more limited aspect of the invention involves an anchor comprising an elongated body having first and second ends, a plurality of anchor elements pivotally connected to the body at circumferentially spaced positions adjacent the first end of the latter with each of such anchor elements including a portion swingable about its pivotal connection to the body from a position wherein the same projects radially from the axis of the body to a relatively radially retracted position projecting longitudinally slidable on the body between positions relatively adjacent to and remote from the pivotal connections of anchor elements, each of said anchor elements having an integral portion thereof projecting into the sleeve when the sleeve is in its relatively adjacent position and when the anchor elements are in their radially projecting position, whereby the anchor elements are denied pivotal movement unless the sleeve is caused to slide on the body toward its relatively remote position, and first and second tension elements having first ends respectively connected to the body and the sleeve and having their second ends secured together at a position such that movement of the position in a direction from the first end of the body tensions solely the first tension element. Preferably, this aspect of the invention involves the provision of means tending to urge the sleeve towards its position that prevents retraction of the anchor elements, and such means can take the form of the first end of the first tension element being connected to the body by being entrained over a portion of the body, and thence having its first end secured to the sleeve at a position more remote from the first end of the body than said portion of the body, the arrangement being such that tension in the first tension element urges the sleeve towards the first end of the body.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a sleeve in such a relationship to a plurality of anchor elements that in one position of the sleeve all the anchor elements are retained or prevented from moving from their operative positions; with such sleeve being movable to release all such anchor elements so that they may move to their retracted and inoperative positions.

Still another important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a weak link or portion of the anchor line, together with the provision of a tension element bridging such weak portion of the anchor line and being attached to release means whereby the breaking of the weak portion of the line will result in the application of tension to the release means.

Yet another feature of importance resides in the Weak link or portion of the anchor line being arranged in such a manner that prior to breakage of the same tension therealong tends to urge the release means into a position preventing retraction of the anchor elements from their operative positions.

Other objects, aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the ensuing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, such description to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrative of such preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the anchor in its operative condition; a hidden detail of such anchor being shown in dashed outline;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 with the sleeve and one of the anchor elements being shown in vertical section;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the apparatus, this view showing the anchor in inoperative condition and with one of the tension elements having been broken, and showing the sleeve in vertical section;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken upon the plane of the section line 4-4 in FIGURE 1; and,

FIGURE 5 is an isometric view of the anchor body with the anchor elements and sleeve removed therefrom.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the various views, the reference numeral designates the anchor apparatus generally. The anchor apparatus 10 comprises an anchor body 12 that is generally of an elongated cruciform configuration, the same being constituted of a pair of elongated angle members 14 and 16 arranged to diverge from each other and which are joined rigidly together by welding seams 18 and 20 along their juxtaposed apices. The resulting structure is in the form of a set of elongated flanges 22, 24, 26 and 28 that extend radially from the axis of the anchor body 12 with equiangular spacing therebetween.

The flanges 22 through 28 are of uniform radial extent throughout the longitudinal extent of the anchor body 12 except for radial extensions 30, 32, 34 and 36, respectively, at the upper ends of the flanges as viewed in FIGURE 5.

For a purpose presently to be explained, a plate 38 of lesser radial extent than the flanges 22-28 is secured, by welding or the like, to the flanges 22 and 24 at the ends of the latter adjacent the radial extensions or projections 30 and 32, the plate 38 being at right angles to the axis of the body 12 and having an aperture 40 therethrongh. Also, at a position intermediate the axial extents of the flanges 22 and 24, there is provided a rod 42 having its opposite ends welded or otherwise suitably secured to the flanges 22 and 24, the rod 42 being disposed in a plane at right angles to the axial extent of the body 12. Also each of the flanges 22-28 is provided adjacent the axial ends thereof most remote from the radial extensions 30- 36 with openings therethrough such as the openings indicated at 44 and 46 with respect to the flanges 22 and 24. It will be noted that the rod 42 is positioned intermediate the plate 38 and the openings 44 and 46 insofar as the axial extent of the body 12 is concerned.

A cylindrical sleeve 54 is slidably disposed on the body 12, the sleeve 54 having an internal diameter sufliciently large as to provide a sliding fit upon the portions of the radial extremities of the flanges 22 through 28 along the portions of such radial extremities that are of uniform radial extent, the arrangement being such that the sleeve 54 is limited in its upward sliding extent upon the body 12 as viewed in FIGURE 5 by engagement of the upper peripheral edge 56 of the sleeve 54 with the radial extensions 30 through 36.

The sleeve 54 is disposed to embrace the body 12 and it will be noted that the body 12 is of substantially greater axial extent than that of the sleeve 54. An inverted V- shaped bail 58 has its lower extremities 60 and 62 welded or otherwise suitably secured to diametrically opposed positions at the upper peripheral edge 56 of the sleeve 54.

Each of the flanges 22 through 28 has pivotally attached adjacent the end thereof remote from the radial extensions 30 through 26 an anchor element, and since each of such anchor elements are identical in shape to each other and inasmuch as each of such anchor elements is pivotally connected to its respective flange in the same manner, a detailed description of one of such anchor elements and its mode of attachment to its respective flange will suflice for all. Accordingly, as best shown in FIGURE 3, the anchor element 66 pivotally connected to the flange 22 is generally L-shaped to include a short leg 68 and a relatively longer leg 70. The legs 68 and 70 are substantially at right angles to each other adjacent their juncture, and the leg 70 is somewhate arcuate so as to be convex towards the axis of the body 12 when the anchor element 66 is in its retracted or inoperative position shown thereof in FIGURE 3. The L-shaped anchor element 66 is enlarged at the juncture 74 of the legs 68 and 70 and provided an opening therethrough, and a threaded fastener in the form of a bolt 76 is extended through the opening in the juncture portion 74 of the anchor element 66 and through the opening 44 in the flange 22, and secured by a nut 78 that is threaded on the bolt 76. The arrangement is such that the bolt 76 constitutes a pivot for the anchor element 66 with the anchor element 66 being swingable about the pivotal axis defined by the bolt 76 intermediate the retracted or inoperative position of the anchor element 66 shown in FIGURE 3 and the extended and operative position shown of the anchor element 66 in FIGURE 2.

It will be evident upon comparison of FIGURES 2 and 3 that the anchor element 66 has its leg 70 in a radially retracted position in FIGURE 3, and that the leg 70 swings radially outwardly with respect to the axis of the body 12 in swinging to the operative position shown of the anchor element 66 shown in FIGURE 2. Also, it it is to be noted that the short leg 68 is disposed at a position such as to be received within the open lower end of the sleeve 54 when the anchor element 66 is in the operative position shown in FIGURE 2, and it will also be obvious that when the sleeve 54 is in the position shown thereof in FIGURE 2 that the sleeve 54 prevents radially outward movement of the leg 68 that must occur if the anchor element 66 is to be swung from its operative position of FIGURE 2 to its inoperative position shown in FIGURE 3. Therefore, the anchor element 66 is latched or retained in its operative position shown in FIGURE 2 until the sleeve 54 is moved upwardly on the body 12 by an amount sufiicient for the lower end of the sleeve 54 to pass upwardly of the upper end of the upstanding short leg 68 of the anchor element 66. It will be evident that the sleeve 54 can be caused to slide upwardly on the body 12 from the position shown thereof in FIGURE 2 to release the anchor element 66, and accordingly, the anchor element leg 68 can be considered a latch and the sleeve 54 can be considered a slidable release means or slidable latchkeeper means.

In a similar manner to that described with respect to the flange 22, the flanges 24 through 28 are respectively provided with pivotally mounted anchor elements 80', 82 and 84, respectively, and it will be noted with respect to FIGURE 4 that viewed from above each anchor element is disposed at a position that is offset clockwise with respect to its respective flange. Such ofiset arrangement is advantageous in that it enables a maximum degree of radially inward movement of the anchor elements toward the axis of the body 12 without interference therebetween.

The structure thus far described is metallic, and preferably of iron in the interest of weight, strength and low cost coupled with the readiness with which the anchor apparatus 10 can be easily fabricated by conventional welding technique from stock materials largely readily available. It will be noted that the only substantial component of the anchor apparatus 10 thus far described of special configuration is the anchor element, and even these elements can be readily cut from heavy plate stock or even punched from sheet steel, or alternatively can be bent from round stock with appropriate heating to facilitate the necessary bending and the pounding or hammering of the junction portion 74 to obtain sufiicient flatness and size of such portion 74 to accommodate the opening through which the bolt 76 extends.

The reference numerals and 92 designate respectively upper and lower extents of a single continuous or integral length of heavy cord or rope. The rope extent 90 will extend upwardly from the portion shown thereof in the drawings to the vessel (not shown) with respect to which the anchor apparatus is employed. The lower end of the rope portion 92 is tied or otherwise suitably secured at 94 to the upper end or bight portion 96 of the bail 58, it being noted that such bight portion 96 is in approximate axial alignment with the body 12 and the sleeve 54. It is to be emphasized that in the preferred construction or use of the anchor apparatus 10 that the rope portions 90 and 92 are continuous and integral and of uniform tensile strength throughout the extents of both. At this point, it may be noted that if any one of the anchor elements 66, 80, 82 and 84 is engaged with any bottom obstruction such as a root, submerged log, or the like (not shown), so as to oppose movement of the body 12 in an upward direction as viewed in the drawings, an upward force on the sleeve 54 as may be occasioned by tension in the rope or flexible line 92, the sleeve 54 will move upwardly from the position shown thereof in FIGURE 2 to the position shown thereof in FIGURE 3, and the result follows that the anchor element or elements opposing upward movement of the body 12 will upon continued opposition to such movement will be caused to move to their inoperative positions shown in FIGURE 3 upon the sleeve 54 urging the body 12 upwardly through engagement with the radially extended portions through 36 of the flanges 22 through 28. Upward movement of the sleeve 54 relative to the body 12 is limited to the position shown in FIGURE 3 by reason of the upper end 56 engaging the projections 30 through 36. Only one of such projections 30 through 36 is essential, and if desired only two diametrically opposed projections (such as projections 30 and 34) may be provided rather than the four illustrated and described.

A flexible line, rope or cord 98, preferably but not absolutely necessarily of lesser tensile strength than the strength of each of the lines 90 and 92, is provided which has one end connected by knotting or the like 100 to the lines 90 and 92 adjacent the juncture of the latter. Each of the lines 90, 92 and 98 can be of any suitable character, such as cables formed of wire, woven or braided non-metallic fibers, or formed of a single strand of wire or a single filament of non-metallic material. Also, the lines can be of dissimilar character or material with respect to each other, and it is deemed that appropriate selections in accordance with the invention is well within the ordinary skill of those familiar with the art. The line 98 extends from its connection to the lines 90 and 92 through the opening or aperture 40 in the plate 38 and into the sleeve 54 and is entrained about the rod 42 and is thence extended upwardly from the rod 42 to extend through an opening 102 through the sleeve 54 to the exterior of the latter. The end of the line 98 projecting outwardly of the sleeve 54 through the opening 102 is knotted or otherwise provided with an enlargement 104 in such a manner as to prevent retraction of the free end of the line 98 into the sleeve 54. The arrangement is such that tension upon the line 98 from a position adjacent its juncture or connection 100 to the lines 90 and 92 serves to urge downwardly sliding movement of the sleeve 54 upon the body 12 to the extent that the movement is permitted by engagement with the anchor elements 66, 80, 82 and 84. With the sleeve 54 thus caused to be disposed in the lowermost position permitted the same, further tension upon the line 98 is effectively applied as an upward force upon the body 12. In short, the connection of the line 98 to the anchor apparatus 10 is such as to urge the sleeve 54 into the position shown thereof in FIGURE 2 and to effectively connect or secure the line 98 to the body 12.

It is particularly pointed out that the line 98 can be tensioned to the position shown thereof in FIGURE 2 by applying tension to the line portion 90, and that with the line 98 so tensioned, the length of the line portion 92 is such that the same is slack or free of tension.

The operation of the apparatus 10 will now be readily understood, in the normal usage of the apparatus 10, the same is in the condition shown thereof in FIGURE 2, and the lines and 98 serve all the normal functions of a conventional anchor line and all metallic components of the apparatus remain relatively fixed in position with respect to each other and for all practical purposes could be considered as of an integral and inflexible structure. However, if any excessive resistance to recovery of the anchor apparatus 10 is encountered on pulling or tensioning the line 90, the weak link, so to speak, of the anchor line 90 and 98 constituted by the line 98 will be broken, whereby the tension on the line 90 such as would normally urge the sleeve 54 downwardly is relieved, and the line 92, which effectively bridges the weak link of the anchor line 98 is then caused to be placed under tension by further upward movement of the line 90, whereupon the sleeve or release means 54 is caused to be moved upwardly as previously explained relative to the body to release the anchor elements so that they may move to the inoperative or retracted positions shown thereof in FIGURE 3.

Such upward movement of the sleeve 54 to release the anchor elements will under virtually all circumstances result in such disengagement of the anchor apparatus 10 with any bottom obstruction, whereby the operator of the surface vessel (not shown) is extremely unlikely to lose his anchor by breakage of his anchor line or be compelled to deliberately lose his anchor by deliberately severing the anchor line.

It is, of course, not imperative that the line 92 be of greater tensile strength than that of the line 98, but it is essential that the line 98 be of lesser tensile strength so as to break under a lesser tensile force than that required to break the line 90.

I claim:

1. An anchor comprising an elongated body having first and second ends, a plurality of anchor elements pivotally connected to the body at circumferentially spaced positions adjacent the first end of the latter with each of such anchor elements including a portion swingable about its pivotal connection to the body from a position wherein the same projects radially from the axis of the body to a relatively radially retracted position projecting longitudinally from the second end of the body, a sleeve embracing and longitudinally slidable on the body between positions relatively adjacent to and remote from the pivotal connections of anchor elements, each of said anchor elements having an integral portion thereof projecting into the sleeve when the sleeve is in its relatively adjacent position and when the anchor elements are in their radially projecting position, whereby the anchor elements are denied pivotal movement unless the sleeve is caused to slide on the body toward its relatively remote position, and first and second tension elements having first ends respectively connected to the body and the sleeve and having their second ends secured together at a position such that movement of the position in a direction from the first end of the body tensions solely the first tension element.

2. The combination of claim 1, including a third tension element having an end connected to and integral with the second end of the second tension element to constitute an integral extension of the latter.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the first tension element has a lesser breaking tension strength than that of the second and third tension elements.

4. The combination of claim 2, wherein the sleeve is provided with a bail disposed in substantial alignment with the sleeve and spaced from the second end of the body, said first end of the second tension element being secured to the sleeve by being connected to the bail.

7 8 5. The combination of claim 1, wherein the first end References cit d of the first tension element is connected to the body by UNITED STATES PATENTS being entrained over a portion of the body and thence having its first end secured to the sleeve at a position 511,788 1/1894 McDonald 114208 more remote from the first end of th body th id 5 2,980,050 4/ 1961 M ray 114-208 portion of the body, the arrangement being such that ten- MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner. SlOIl 1n the first tension element urges the sleeve towards the first nd of th bod TRYGVE M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner. 

